A large quantity of carbon dioxide are evolved on the earth by commercial productive activities and respiration of animals. Although carbon dioxide is readily available as a raw material, because of its low reactivity, carbon dioxide has not been effectively utilized as an industrial resource. It is significant to make use of this readily available industrial resource.
Several processes for the production of synthetic resins in which carbon dioxide is used as a raw material have heretofore been proposed. Among others, Journal of Chemical Society of Japan (1982) No. 2, page 295, discloses such a process in which a reaction product of zinc acetate with an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid or a reaction product of an alkyl zinc with water is used as a catalyst. Further, a process disclosed by Polymer Journal, Vol. 13 (1981) page 407, use is made of as a catalyst reaction products of zinc hydroxide with various organic carboxylic acids.